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As we age, the delicate skin around our eyes can be the first place that shows signs like fine lines, wrinkles, and a loss of skin laxity as a result of diminished collagen and elastin. You may also be experiencing dry skin and lids as a result of normal hormonal skin changes. Regardless of your age, eyeshadow can be a wonderful makeup tool that brings out the color and shape of your eyes and adds dimension to your lids to make the entire eye area look more open and refreshed. But sometimes something happens when you peruse the cosmetics shelves of Sephora, Walmart, or Ulta after a certain age: you may start thinking — who actually wears these eyeshadow shades?! Though it can always be fun to get creative with makeup, if glittery colors and bold, bright shades of fuchsia and aqua aren’t your go-to eyeshadow picks, never fear: there are plenty of amazing options that bring out the beauty in mature eyes.
Finding a solid eyeshadow pick for mature eyes involves considering two key factors: colors AND your makeup’s texture. Makeup Artist and Beauty Expert Margina Dennis simplifies this makeup mystery by telling us her pick for the best eyeshadow over 50.
Baked Eyeshadows
Anyone who has ever applied a not-so-high-quality powdered eyeshadow to unprepped eyelids may be familiar with the following scenario: the shadow looks chalky from the moment you apply it, it’s a nightmare to blend, and by noon it has shown major signs of creasing. This is where baked eyeshadows sweep in to save the day (and your makeup look). This shadow type is made with emollients and starts off as a wet formula that is a cinch to apply and blend — before it dries beautifully into a powdery sold finish.
“I really like baked shadows for mature eyes because they start their life as a cream and are baked on terracotta tiles,” Dennis explains. “They are creamy in texture and easy to blend on the lids.”
As for colors, Dennis suggests warm earth tones (copper, bronze, terracotta, sienna ,etc.) and muted floral tones (berries, warm pinks, peach, mauves, plums, etc.) because she says they flatter not only most eye tones, but also the tones of the skin so that the shadows don’t wash out the complexion, but instead breathe life into it.
“The Bright Quartet Baked Palettes from Kiko Milano are universally flattering,” Dennis suggests. “If you are looking for single-baked eyeshadows, Il-Makiage has a nice variety of shades.”
As for application tips, Dennis says she prefers to keep it simple and apply a single shade with the color contracted at the lashline and to the mid-lid and then blend up into the crease, which creates dimension.
Whichever baked eyeshadow brand and color you choose, one pre-makeup step should not be neglected: be sure to prime your eyelids with a cream primer that prevents streaking, smudging, and fading. The primer is also magic for anyone with hooded eyelids or looser lid skin because it helps your shadow and eyeliner stay put — so that they don’t drift off to say “hello” to your eyebrows.
